[Spaceme1117]

So I just purchased a used 2017 Camaro SS.

Since the LT1 is a direct injected engine, how are people cleaning their intake valves?

Is this even much of a problem on these engines?

The car I purchased has 37000 miles on it and I know that some DI cars with that mileage have intake valves that are just horribly caked with carbon buildup.

Forgive my ignorance on this.

[m6-lt1]

The best way to clean them is to pop the intake manifold off and manually clean the 8 intake valves with the specific cleaner and tools they make for it. On these vehicles the intake manifold can be taken off and put back on in an hour by people with competent mechanical skills. You’ll be able to clean 7 of the 8 valves right away after popping off the intake and determining which valve looks open. To clean the open valve you will have to attach a long bar to the crank pulley and turn it (IN THE CORRECT DIRECTION!!!) in order to close the final valve and clean that one too. Once finished you pop the manifold back on and you’re done.

Now having said all that, these engines don’t seem to suffer from super caked up intake valves like their German counter parts do. I’ve seen examples of people going 100k + miles and the valves are only mildly caked up. In fact the examples I’ve seen posted on here both at low miles and high miles look nearly identical. I truly don’t believe this is an issue on the GM LT engines. And if they are, this is one of the more simple engines to clean them on.

[Spaceme1117]

Originally Posted by m6-lt1

The best way to clean them is to pop the intake manifold off and manually clean the 8 intake valves with the specific cleaner and tools they make for it. On these vehicles the intake manifold can be taken off and put back on in an hour by people with competent mechanical skills. You’ll be able to clean 7 of the 8 valves right away after popping off the intake and determining which valve looks open. To clean the open valve you will have to attach a long bar to the crank pulley and turn it (IN THE CORRECT DIRECTION!!!) in order to close the final valve and clean that one too. Once finished you pop the manifold back on and you’re done.

Now having said all that, these engines don’t seem to suffer from super caked up intake valves like their German counter parts do. I’ve seen examples of people going 100k + miles and the valves are only mildly caked up. In fact the examples I’ve seen posted on here both at low miles and high miles look nearly identical. I truly don’t believe this is an issue on the GM LT engines. And if they are, this is one of the more simple engines to clean them on.

Okay. Thanks.

I have done an intake valve cleaning on two different Audi's just as you described.

Removed intake manifold to get to the valves and then used a combination of carbon cleaner, wire brushes, and picks to manually clean the valves that are closed. Rotate engine and clean other valves

One of those Audi's was a 2008 with the 5.2 liter V10. Total of 20 intake valves so it took a while. (On a side note, that engine is a mechanical marvel/nightmare of complexity; 2 intake valves + 3 exhaust valves per cylinder, total 50 valves, 4 cams, 10 oxygen sensors, 4 timing chains, etc.)

For now, I will likely just run some CRC DI cleaner and call it good. Maybe I will pull the intake manifold when I get near 50K miles and inspect things.

[Jeb114]

[m6-lt1]

Originally Posted by Spaceme1117

For now, I will likely just run some CRC DI cleaner and call it a day.

I haven’t experienced this but I read on these forums not to do that. That method can result in large chunks of carbon falling off into the cylinder bore and damaging the walls. Not sure if it’s true or not, just letting you know what I read. I’ll admit there is a chance the cleaner makes the deposits soft when they fall off in order to not cause any damage however I haven’t seen anyone test out this theory yet so I can’t say it’s true or not. I would just do nothing, or pull the intake to clean it. For now, I myself have done nothing based on pictures I’ve seen of people’s intake valves after 100k. Just an FYI, the LT1 is basically the same as the truck motors minus both intake and exhaust manifolds. There are thousands of truck motors on the road with high miles and I haven’t seen any of them have excessive valve coming issues. You can add a catch can if you want however NO catch can will catch 100% of the oil going to the valves.

[Tim M]

Here is my 27,000 mile valve condition...and without a 'catch can':



Definitely not anything to lose sleep over...forum blows this stuff out of proportion.

[Gunkk]

Originally Posted by Spaceme1117

Is this even much of a problem on these engines?

No. Don't waste a dime of your money or a lose wink of sleep over this.

GM LT1 and LT4 engines made during and after the 2015 model year do not have the carbon build up issues that plagued many early 2010's GDI cars (BMW, Hyundai, etc.).

There has been quite a bit of of Arguing_On_the_Internet(TM) about this subject recently on these forums in various catch can threads, but actual photographic evidence of extreme buildup to the point of measurably affecting performance and requiring walnut blasting to correct on stock LT1s and LT4s is very very rare to the point of not existing.

And even in the very few pictures anyone has posted of buildup on stock cars it's nothing close to the horror stories you see and hear.

One of the very few rare pics of a stock SS with reasonable miles is from our very own forum member EDFHOBBIES's wife's SS at 40k miles:
https://www.camaro6.com/forums/showp...9&postcount=42

Pretty much the same as Tim M's above.